NOVEL NEXT 234. Fighting unknown.
After Hestia explained the nature of the emergency, I rapidly issued orders. Sending the entire Legion was the minimum response, but getting them there on time would be impossible. Within less than a minute, all my Queens had joined us. Irene also brought along Lanka, Gloria, and Cahrona. We stood in the underground staging ground, observing the vast army that had gathered below the observation tower.
"There is no time to waste, Theon. We are going to teleport them!" Hestia motioned towards the soldiers.
"Teleport? How much mana would that take?" I gave her an incredulous look and observed the additional forces joining the Ninth Legion. "Can you even do it?"
"Around one million mana points." Hestia closed her eyes and shrugged slightly. "But we can do it... If we fail, Elisabeth's forces could be cut off and systematically routed."
"I know. If we don't stop that horde on the border, it will destroy large swathes of our Kingdom." I sighed in resignation.
"With the help of our mana storage items and the help of Lanka, Gloria, and Cahrona, we can make it. We can teleport the Legion." Luna nodded confidently. "I will handle the spell's structure and build the circle. Hopefully, my skills will lower the cost... Hestia! Give me the coordinates!"
"All right! Please, try it." I immediately ordered Morrigan, Jasper, Arani, Crawline, Aurora, and Gawain to join the Ninth Legion.
I watched as my wives swiftly used their Dungeon Movement to instantly position Lanka, Gloria, and Cahrona at the specified points around the Legion, then quickly placed themselves. Luna started an incantation, rapidly growing a magic circle under my army. I angrily clenched my teeth, but that wasn't enough, so I bit my thumb's nail. The odds of that attack occurring when it did were so astronomically low that it should have never happened. However, Murphy was a bitch, so of course, it had to...
"TELEPORTATION!" Amber’s shout stopped my thoughts.
She was incredibly pale and covered in sweat. As she turned to me, I saw her eyes dim as she fainted. I managed to catch her, and without thinking, I moved her to our bed. I quickly realised that the spell they used must have drained them all, so I returned to the rest of my wives and Lanka, Gloria, and Cahrona, who helped with the spell. They all were breathing slowly as I took them from the Slime Maids and Butlers, who had caught them before they hit the floor. After assuring me everything was fine and that after a long sleep, they would wake up, Stella and the Lamia Healers kept close watch as they rested in their respective beds. I closed my eyes and confirmed with Morrigan that they had safely reached their destination, exhaling a sigh of relief. I informed Janet and Elisabeth about the danger on the western border and sent three of the four remaining airships in Avalon to Westwood. Hopefully, Blair wouldn't need them, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
"Rin, can you inform Lord Thiule that Lanka is here, and I want to see him?"
"Of course, my Lord!" Lanka's familiar bowed to me and then vanished like Sebastian.
"Stella?" I asked.
"They simply fainted due to mana deprivation. However, I must warn you, my Lord, that the Queens won't wake up tomorrow..." She grimaced. "Due to their inhumane mana reserves, they might be asleep for days, and I can't even estimate how long it would take. They may wake up tomorrow, but it may also take an entire week."
"That's not good..." I looked at my beloved women with a nervous smile. "I know I shouldn't be worried about them if you say it's normal, and yet... There is strange anxiety within me."
"That's also natural, my King." She smiled softly. "You care about them, after all."
"Maybe a little more sleep would be good for them? They are working so hard that they deserve more rest." I sighed and sat near the bed.
"The regenerative sleep they are in will be very beneficial for their health," Stella said with a nod, clearing her throat. "My Lord, the Queens have asked me to remind you to refrain from doing anything that would strain your humanity in their absence."
"Oh, great..." I muttered, closing my eyes to check the status of various dungeons. After stopping everything, I sighed. "I almost forgot about that."
"I will be watching over the Queens. As for Ladies Lanka, Gloria, and Cahrona, they should wake up tomorrow. Their rest period is strictly tied to the mana pool, so you could say that the Queens' enormous mana pools are both a blessing and a curse."
"I understand. Thank you for your help, Princess Cahrona, Lady Lanka, and Lady Gloria." I nodded with a sigh and stood up, looking at my sleeping Queens. "Have pleasant dreams, my Darlings..."
I left our bedroom and went to my office in the Palace. The previously large but empty room was recently rebuilt, transforming it into something between a private library, an office, and a display room. According to Irene, it was now a private study room, more than just a simple office. Maybe I was just a simple guy before all this king business. I absentmindedly gazed at the maps, still thinking about my wives, when Sebastian entered the room.
"Sir, Legio Umbra reports suspicious activity in the Shadow Realm. The remote patrols found traces of something that shouldn't be there."
"Hmmm..." I immediately focused. "Where?"
"Three days away from Avalon in Shadows, my Lord." Sebastian marked the spots on the map. "North-west from here, but we can't say anything about the enemy."
"North-west? Clever move..." I looked at the tactical maps. "However, Fulminata and Ferrata are close by with Galahad. My Vassals have already formed the Auxiliary Legions, which are capable of defending the lands under their protection, so I have breathing room. But before we do anything, we must guess who is behind the attacks and what is their objective."
"We have no intelligence on our current enemies. If they are observing our actions, they are skilled enough to avoid any detection." Sebastian shook his head.
"The easiest way to respond to the current situation would be linking both threats. The attack in Berna might be considered a major diversion while the invasion forces prepare to storm the Dragon's Gate. However, I can't treat it like that... So, we must assume that the forces on the surface are working independently from those in the shadowland. They might be temporarily or permanently allied, but they should be considered two different threats." I exhaled heavily. "Sebastian, inform Lord Ban that the Guardsmen Corp should be on high alert. I will hold a briefing with them in one hour."
"Yes, my Lord!" As he vanished, the doors to my office opened slightly, letting in Rin.
"Lord Thiule has arrived, Your Highness."
"Let him in." I nodded and looked at the clock. Damn, he was fast...
"My Lord!" He entered the office, and after saluting, he looked around as if he had expected to see Lanka lying somewhere.
"Relax. Lanka is sleeping with the Queens, watched by Stella." I tried to sound comforting. "It was just mana deprivation..."
"Oh..." He exhaled loudly and finally relaxed. He turned red, ashamed of his unprofessional reaction. "I'm sorry, my Lord!"
"Don't mention it! I was acting the same moments ago. Sit down, Major." I pointed to the chair and waited for him to take place. As he sat down, my facial expression turned serious. "Today, at 10:12 Avalon time, Queen Hestia received a distress... Ummm... A distress prayer from Blackbeard. As you know, he and his fleet were patrolling the western border of Berna when they discovered a huge monster stampede heading our way. Queen Hestia, with the help of the other Queens, as well as your wife and other classified personnel, used her power to aid the privateers. The Ninth Legion, supported by substantial forces consisting of the Wolves, Spiders, and Eagles, along with six Scions, was transported straight into the battle. They managed to stop the enemy's progress and are fighting as we speak."
I paused for him to digest the situation. Once he nodded in confirmation, I continued.
"Simultaneously, our forces detected the suspicious activity within the Shadow Realm. Major Thiule, I hereby give you a direct order." He stiffened in his chair, and his eyes went wide. I looked at the clock, it was 10:42. Perfect. "At 10:40 Avalon time, you and your entire battalion were transferred directly under my command. At 10:41 Avalon time, you and your entire battalion formed the 1st Mobile Infantry Battalion. At 10:42 Avalon time, the 1st Mobile Infantry Battalion begins duty as Palace Guards, supplementing the Praetorian Guard. Until the Queens wake up, you can't allow any hostile to set foot in the Palace proper. At 11:20 Avalon time, the capital city Avalon will be put on yellow alert until the situation in the Shadow Land is clarified or resolved. The 1st Mobile Infantry Battalion stays under my direct command until further notice. Any questions?"
The Elf swallowed slowly. "No, Your Highness!"
"Very well, Major Thiule." I slowly stood up, giving him time to quickly snap into full attention with a respectful salute. "We don't know what to expect, so don't spread any news around to avoid panic. We may face another battle or even a full-scale siege. Stella and the most elite of her Faés, as well as the most elite of the Slimes, will focus on defending the top floors. Sebastian will focus on the intelligence gathering, and hopefully, he can give us an early warning. Thor and Lance are going to be our first line of defence."
"I understand, my Lord. Better be safe than sorry?"
"Yes." I looked at him and smiled. I could trust that man to keep my wives safe in case I had to take to the field. I slowly saluted him back. "Dismissed!"
•••
Thiule and his battalion were already in the Palace, wearing the Living Armours that usually pretended to be the halls' decorations. Thiule himself was stuffed into Sentinel, which, in the worst-case scenario, would be a very nasty surprise for our enemies. Thanks to that, I could focus. There was a heavy atmosphere in the war room at my office in Triskelion. Ban, Drake, Rose, Vali with Tisiphone, and Verka were present in the flesh. Blair, Elisabeth, and Janet joined us thanks to the help of a magi-radio and denizen link. We were able to create something that could pass for video conferencing with the use of 3D holograms. But the holograms were the Slimes who had changed their look to appear like absent people. Using a denizen link, they mimicked the person they impersonated to convey their body language. It was the first time we had tried this, but the effects were promising. I looked at them as I explained their situation, adding to the general nervousness.
"As we speak, Morrigan and the expanded Legio IX Adiutrix are fighting the monster horde. As far as she and my other scions present on the battlefield can say, those monsters are Dungeon denizens. A wild horde wouldn't be so organised and display this level of discipline and ferocity. Morrigan's losses are fairly high, but she is certain the enemy won’t be able to continue their advance. Thankfully, this is the only intrusion point we have detected, which adds credibility to the theory that we are facing the forces of a Dungeon. I confirmed with my Eagles and the remaining privateers that they had not encountered the enemy. Morrigan will try to capture a few monsters for interrogation." I raised my hand towards the map on the wall where the border line flashed with a red light. "Princess Elisabeth, I have to modify my orders. You have to fortify that border as fast as possible. I know it may sound like a bad joke, but I have no resources to aid you. However, Lord-General Blair is building a similar defensive line, so you can ask him for advice. Blair, any moves in your area?"
"I have nothing to report. I doubled the number of aerial patrols on the borders, but the Eagles saw nothing concerning." He slowly shook his head and smiled at the Princess. "I will prepare a complete manual about fortifications and border defences for you, Lady Elisabeth."
"Thank you, Lord Blair." The Princess nodded. "Building the fortifications mostly from wood should be sufficient for now, and the border is full of forests, my Lord. I'm confident we will be able to build an adequate protection."
"Excellent. What is your current move?" I inquired with an approving nod.
"Legio Rapax is heading straight to aid the Ninth. However, they will need an additional two days to reach Lady Morrigan's forces."
"What about Victrix and Death Heralds?" Ban raised his head from over his notes.
"Victrix is going to stay in Tulva under the command of Lady Pyonta. Tulva is still full of rebellious sentiments because most, if not all, of the zealots that served Jukk'nala and Hur'zhun and all the Nobles left in Berna followed Hagon. They know that the punishment for their crimes will be severe, so they will fight to the bitter end. I'm more than sure that Pyonta is going to resolve that issue permanently," Elisabeth explained with a sigh. "Fortunately, Count Nova is controlling the eastern borders. The northern sea never caused more problems than occasional pirate raids, and in the south is Arcadia. While not all pirates were part of Blackbeard's fleet, those independent are staying put so far. May I ask what's going to happen with Legio Adiutrix?"
"The Ninth Legion won't be staying in Berna. As soon as Rapax reaches the border, Adiutrix is going to return to Arcadia." I sighed. "Admiral Sparrow, the Royal Navy is going to patrol the entire western border from Western Province up to the Northern Sea until the stable lines of fortifications are ready."
"Sir... I have the Iron-clad ships of Tulva's Navy that I wanted to recycle. We need to use the materials to construct new destroyers and frigates," she explained. "I ask permission to drop them off at Xariinta at least so they can be transported quickly to Avalon."
"If they are operational, we will use them, Lady Admiral. We can recall them one by one after the new ships are ready to join the service." I raised my hand before she managed to protest. "I know that you consider these ships inferior but we can't afford to be picky right now."
"Yes, sir... However, I believe teaching more crews how to operate an old type of airship is counterproductive.
"Hmmm. That might be a good point." I closed my eyes and focused on Ian's shipyard. It looked like two new destroyers would be ready very soon. I covered my face with my hands. "Oh, God... How is that even possible?! Sorry, everyone. It seems that our shipyards are working around the clock, and two brand new destroyers will be fully operational in two days."
"That's fantastic news, my Lord!" Janet brightened.
"Indeed..." I sighed heavily. "In my world, building a destroyer of a comparable size would take at least one year. Maybe half a year during a war. Not just one and a half months... God, I need to switch... Anyway! If the ships you captured can fly, send them to the border. We will use them to relocate Adiutrix without wasting Navy resources."
"Yes, sir!"
"Still, my main concern lies within the Shadow Realm..." I sighed. "This is another reason why we all must stay vigilant. The Devilkins may as well use the shadowland to get their forces into any of our cities and destroy them..."
"Sir..." Blair hesitantly raised his voice. "Are you sure those traces belong to the Devilkins?"
"No. I am simply assuming the worst." I admitted.
"There is a probability that those traces were left by the denizens of that unknown Dungeon, my Lord..." he suggested, but he wasn't even remotely convinced by his own words.
I considered that option for a moment and reluctantly shrugged. "Every possibility is equally possible at this point."